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‘A Book for the ‘Burg’ community collaboration highlights pollinators

October 4, 2018Last updated October 31, 2018 by EMU communications

Eastern Mennonite University is among the organizations promoting awareness of pollinators through the “A Book for the ‘Burg” program. Since 2013, the program – a partnership of EMU, James Madison University and Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation – has focused on engaging the community around a selected theme through a variety of activities.

This year, the Massanutten Regional Library and two university libraries are making available readings on the topic of pollinators – their significance and declining numbers – for students as young as in kindergarten as well as adult readers.

Pollinators play a special and significant role in ecosystems and our food supply, according to a press release issued by planning committee, which includes EMU’s Director of Libraries Marci Frederick. “Because we often come together over food to celebrate culture, to cultivate relationships, and to build community, we expect to have lively and meaningful conversations about the relationship between people and the rest of nature.”

Two titles added to EMU’s library are Buzz: the nature and necessity of bees by Thor Hanson (Basic Books, 2018) and Bees: an identification and native plant forage guide by Heather Holm (Pollination Press, 2017).

“Read these books and learn!” Frederick said. “Pollinators are currently under stress from climate change, habitat loss and chemical and biological threats, so growing plants that pollinators forage on – such as milkweed for monarch butterflies – helps insure pollinator health and abundance.”